Wrong-way driver on the highway: rules of conduct help in the event of danger
Created: 09/20/2022, 1:00 p.m
By: Simon Mones
Wrong-way drivers pose a major hazard on the road.
With a few tips, however, the risk of accidents can be minimized.
There are reports on the radio, and every driver immediately pricks up their ears.
In addition to the traffic jams, this is likely to be the case in particular when the moderator speaks the following words into the microphone: "Warning, wrong-way drivers".
But very few drivers know how to react correctly in an emergency.
A few tips will help reduce the risk of colliding with a wrong-way driver.
In 2020 alone, the ADAC counted 1,732 reports of wrong-way drivers on the motorway.
“That meant a nationwide decline of nine percent.
However, the numbers increased in individual countries, such as in Rhineland-Palatinate from 133 to 150 and in Baden-Württemberg from 132 to 139,” writes the automobile club on its website.
However, the warning signs have no effect.
There were a total of 61 accidents, nine of which were fatal.
Eleven people lost their lives.
If you are confronted with a wrong-way driver, you should always keep to the extreme right.
© Tobias Hase/dpa
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Wrong-way driver on the highway: rules of conduct help in the event of danger
However, there are a few rules of conduct that will help drivers to significantly reduce the risk of an accident with a wrong-way driver.
If the traffic reports on the radio report wrong-way drivers on the motorway, you should do the following:
Reduce your speed.
Switch on the hazard warning lights.
Drive in the outer right lane.
Don't overtake.
Make sure you keep a sufficient distance from the vehicle in front.
If necessary, drive to the next parking lot or use the next exit.
If necessary, you should switch to the hard shoulder.
Listen carefully to the traffic radio, it will tell you when the danger is over.
Wrong-way driver on the highway: rules for wrong-way drivers
However, it also happened quickly that you accidentally became the wrong-way driver yourself.
The most common causes of this are entering into the wrong lane or turning around on the freeway.
"Other road users get into the oncoming lane because the course of the road and signage are unfavorable, visibility is poor, they have orientation problems or are distracted," emphasizes the ADAC.
If you become a wrong-way driver yourself, you should follow these rules:
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Switch on the lights and hazard warning lights immediately.
Drive immediately to the nearest edge of the road.
Park the car close to the crash barrier.
Put on a high-visibility vest, get out carefully and wait behind the crash barrier.
Dial 911 and wait for help.
Do not turn!
